Process for treating animal habitats

ABSTRACT

This invention deals with a process for treating and sanitizing animal habitats. In addition to sanitizing the habitat the production of ammonia and odor from fecal matter and urine is inhibited or terminated. In the process an animal habitat is cleaned and subsequently treated with trichloromelamine (TCM). The TCM may be applied by spraying the habitat with a solution of TCM, by dusting the habitat with powdered TCM or by treating bedding/litter with TCM. This process produces healthier animals and as such the productivity of a given grow out is increased. The process of this invention is particularly suited to animal habitats which are used to raise batches of hogs, cattle, turkeys and chickens on a continuing basis. The process of this invention further reduces the bacteria count of the animal habitat.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/909,707 filed Jul. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,616,892, issued Sep. 9, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention deals with a process for sanitizing and improving animalhabitats wherein the animals are being kept by humans. More particularlythis invention is concerned with sanitizing and improving animalhabitats in a farming environment in order to provide more productiveand healthful animals. In accordance with this invention a wide varietyof different habitats can be sanitized and improved. The process of thisinvention comprises the application of trichloromelamine to the habitatenvironment which contains or will contain bacteria so as to achieve aspecific but relatively low residual concentration of trichloromelamine.This residual trichloromelamine will sanitizes and improve the habitat.Further the invention is concerned with ammonia and odor control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past trichloromelamine (hereinafter TCM) has been usedextensively to sanitize floors, table tops, kitchens and kitchenutensils. This sanitizing is usually effected by the spraying of adilute solution of TCM on to surfaces to be treated or objects such aseating utensils, pots and pans etc. These articles may be likewisesoaked in solutions of TCM. Further TCM has been used to kill bacteriaon foods by the soaking of food in a solution of TCM i.e. the soaking offresh vegetables in a solution of TCM. In these environments theconcentration of TCM which can be used is carefully controlled by theE.P.A. and the Food and Drug Administration. This control will bediscussed in detail herein below.

Soon after man decided to domesticate animals, thousands of years ago,man decided that at least in some circumstances it was desirable to keepdomesticated animals in a defined space i.e. keeping fowl in a chickenhouse or cows in a barn. This keeping of domesticated animals in adefined space resulted in the contamination of the space with fecalmatter and urine. Further this fecal matter and urine results in thespace being contaminated with unacceptable levels of bacteria. Thisbacteria often resulted in the contained animals becoming diseased.

Likewise this concentration of fecal matter and urine often resulted inthe contamination of the defined space with unhealthy levels of ammoniasuch that the productivity and health of the contained animal wasadversely affected. Lastly this fecal matter and urine results in odorswhich cause troublesome environmental problems.

In modern times the need to provide animals in a habitat with atemperature desirable environment has been recognized. The control ofthe temperature in animals habitats uses significant energy. In manycases this energy use is increased when the space in which the animalsare confined is vented in order to remove undesirable ammonia. That isas the atmosphere in the habitat is vented new air must be heated orcooled in order to achieve the desired temperature. This process resultsin increased energy use.

In view of the above points there is a need for a process which willsanitize animal habitats, minimize ammonia production, prevent odors andsave energy.

In the prior art animal habitats have been treated with aluminum sulfatehowever this treatment has failed to solve the problems discussed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The sanitization and control of habitats in which domesticated animalsare kept has been a problem which man has addressed since the verybeginning of animal domestication. If the habitat in which domesticatedanimals are kept is not controlled the animals contained can becomediseased or their productivity is curtailed.

The containment of animals in a defined space for purposes ofdomesticating the animals is thousands of years old. This containment ofdomesticated animals results in unhealthy concentrations of fecal matterand urine. These concentrations can result in bacteria which can causevarious maladies and disease in the contained animals. Further theseconcentrations of fecal matter and urine can result in the production ofammonia in unhealthy concentrations, such that the contained animals canbe asphyxiated. In modern times it has become customary to raise largequantities of animals in batches. The animals in these batches arecontained in a defined habitat i.e. a batch of piglets in a hog house ora batch of turkeys in a poultry house. The process of raising a batch ofanimals to market size is called a grow out.

Prior to starting a new grow out, it is desirable to sanitize thehabitat in order to prevent the transfer of diseases from one batch ofanimals to a new batch of animals in a new grow out cycle.

In the past disinfectants such as lime, bleach, formaldehyde etc. havebeen used. While the disinfectants have some affect on the bacteria theyhad no affect on the future creation of ammonia or other odors comingfrom the fecal matter. Further because of its adverse affects the use offormaldehyde has been banned in many areas.

In accordance with the process of this invention the habitat is treatedwith a trichloromelamine (TCM) prior to starting the grow out process.As a result of this treatment the habitat is sanitized, that is thebacteria are killed and the future production of ammonia during the growout is inhibited. Because the production of ammonia is inhibited theneed to ventilate the habitat in minimize and hence significant energyis saved in that the need to heat or cool new air coming into thehabitat is minimized. To put this aspect of the subject invention inother terms by use of the invention the energy content of a given animalthrough the grow out is minimized.

Further because the bacteria and ammonia content of the environment isdecreased, the animals are healthier in the grow out, and hence theproductivity of a batch of animals is enhanced.

The subject invention can be used in connection with all manner ofanimals i.e. pigs, cows, cattle, ducks, turkeys, chickens etc. Becauseof the low toxicity of TCM to fowl, the process of this invention isparticularly suited for use with turkeys and chickens.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is an effective way to sanitize an animalhabitat.

Another object of this invention is a process whereby the production ofammonia from fecal matter and urine is minimized.

Still another object of the invention is a process whereby energy mightbe saved in the production of domesticated animals.

Another object of the invention is a process whereby the productivity ofa grow out of a batch of animals is increased.

A further object of this invention is odor control, wherein the odorsoriginate from animal habitats.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As per the above discussion the subject invention deals with a processwhereby animal habitats can be readily sanitized. Further in accordancewith this invention the creation of ammonia from fecal matter and urineis reduced. The subject invention comprises the treatment of an animalhabitat with trichloromelamine (TCM) usually prior to starting a newbatch of animals in a grow out. The term grow out relates to theplacement of a batch of juvenile animals in a defined habitat andfeeding the animals until they reach marketable size whereupon they areslaughtered.

The habitat in which the grow out occurs is used over and over. Forexample a poultry house which is used to raise continuing batches ofturkeys or chicken.

In order to prevent the transfer of diseases from one batch of animalsto another batch it is imperative that the animal habitat be sanitizedafter a given batch of animals reaches marketable size and isslaughtered. Traditionally this sanitizing has been effected with lime,bleach, formaldehyde etc.

In accordance this invention the habitat is sanitized by treatment withTCM. This treatment may be effected by the dusting of powdered TCMthrough out the habitat or by treating floor litter with TCM, or it maybe effected by soaking the total habitat with a solution of TCM.Mixtures and combination of these methods may also be used. Inaccordance with the above set forth methods an effective amount ofresidual TCM is left in the habitat after the sanitizing process iseffected.

The concentration of TCM in the treating solution can be any effectiveconcentration. A broad range for solutions of TCM which have been foundto be effective are solutions which have a concentration of TCM of fromabout 25 to about 1000 ppm. TCM. A more preferred range is from about 50to about 500 ppm, with a most preferred range being from about 100 toabout 200 ppm.

In a grow out large quantities of fecal matter and urine are depositedin the habitat. The decomposition of fecal matter and urine in thehabitat produces ammonia. This ammonia as a gas becomes a part of theatmosphere of the habitat i.e. the concentration of ammonia in the airof a poultry house reaches toxic levels. While animals during a grow outdevelop a tolerance for this ammonia, regardless of this tolerance thepresence of ammonia adversely affects the productivity of a given batchof animals. Further the presence of high concentrations of ammonia makesthe animals, and in particular fowl, more susceptible to disease. Thatis animals that are allowed to breath clean air are healthier, and lessstressed and hence they produce more meat. For these reasons it isdesirable that the ammonia content of the atmosphere of an animalhabitat be kept to a minimum. Finally, if in a poultry house the ammonialevel is allowed to reach unacceptable levels the poultry die as aresult of airsacculitis. Regardless of the possibility of death, even ifthe poultry do not die, if they are less stressed they tend to put onmore weight and hence the profit for a given grow out is enhanced. Evensmall weight increases such as a one ounce increase over a large batchof poultry, 10,000+birds, can result in a significant profitenhancement.

When ammonia is produced it must be vented out of the habitat in orderto prevent the adverse effects discussed above. In order to enhance theproduction of meat in a grow out it has become common to maintain adesired and pre-selected temperatures during the grow out. Thispre-selected temperature will vary from species to species. In order tomaintain a given pre-selected temperature energy must be expended. Thatis the habitat must be heated or cooled in order to maintain thepre-selected temperature.

When ammonia is vented out of the habitat incoming air must be heated orcooled in order that the pre-selected temperature for the habitat ismaintained. In accordance with this invention it has been found thatwhen the habitat is treated with TCM the production of ammonia isminimized. As a result of this decreases in production of ammonia, lessventing is needed, therefore less energy is needed to maintain thehabitat at the pre-selected temperature. Hence the energy content of agiven animal in a grow out is decreased and therefore the cost ofraising a given animal is decreased.

While the applicant is not sure of how the TCM decreases ammoniaproduction it is hypothesized that the TCM affects the nitrogen bondingor the nitrogen cycle in such a manner that the production of ammonia isdecreased. This question will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

The control of the bacteria in a habit affects the health of every partof the animal. In this regard if the bacterial content of the litter inwhich an animal stands is minimized the animals will have healthierfeet. For example if the bacterial content of the litter in whichchickens stand is minimized the incidence of footpad dermatitis will bedecreased. This makes the crop of chicken feet more valuable as chickenfeet which are effected with dermatitis are not marketable.

Moving up the animal, the body of an unstressed animal tends to put onweight faster than a stressed animal. A diseased animal is naturallystressed, hence a diseased animal tends to put on less weight whencompared to a healthy animal.

Continuing up the animal as is mentioned above the subject inventiondecreases the production of ammonia in an animal habitat, this decreasesin ammonia production has very beneficial and healthful affects on theanimals in a grow out i.e. as is mentioned above the presence of excessammonia in a poultry grow out can kill the poultry as a result ofairsacculitis. Further the presence of excess ammonia makes poultry moresusceptible to infectious bronchitis and laryngotrachetis. The presenceof these diseases further depresses the weight gain of a given fowl.

The subject invention is advantageous in two ways, these being in thecontrol of bacteria and in decreasing the production of ammonia fromfecal matter and urine. Bacteria which is controlled by the process ofthe subject invention include, but are not limited to salmonella, E colietc.

Having a collateral way to enhance the health of contained animals isparticularly important at the present time as the use of antibodies onanimals in a grow out, is being restricted by the FDA. The use ofantibodies is being restricted in order to prevent the transfer ofresistant strains of bacteria to humans who eat the flesh of the animalsthat are produced in a grow out.

The fecal matter and urine of the animals contained in the habitatcontain substantial quantities of nitrogen bearing compounds. Theprocess whereby these nitrogen bearing compounds are converted toammonia is not fully understood by the applicant. It is felt that thenitrogen bearing compounds may be converted to nitrogen gas N₂ which issubsequently converted by nitrogen-fixing bacteria to ammonia.

The applicant speculates that the production of ammonia may be affectedby the destruction of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria by the TCM. Thedestruction of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria by TCM interrupts thenitrogen cycle and thereby prevents the formation of ammonia and henceits release into the atmosphere of the habitat, to the detriment of theanimals as may be contained in the habitat.

An initial treatment of a habitat may not be sufficient to impede theproduction of ammonia from fecal matter and urine throughout the growout. If this is the case it is within the scope of this invention toretreat the habitat with TCM at an intermediate point in the grow out.

The application of TCM in accordance with this invention has indirectinsecticide properties in that by lowering the pH the life cycle ofcertain insects is interrupted and hence the insect is controlled, i.e.by the application of TCM to a habitat the pH is lowered to less than 5,a point at which the formation and growth of the Darkling beetle willnot occur.

The application of the process of this invention is particularly suitedto animal habitats that are used to raise continuing batches of animalsfor meat production i.e. batches of hogs, chickens and turkeys. Inaddition the process of this invention can be used in conjunction withother aspects of animal habitats such as sanitizing of dairy barns, zooenclosures and it can be formulated into cat litter and litter for otheranimals.

Once a grow out is completed there remains in the habitat a largequantity of fecal mater which is mixed with bedding/litter. Thiscomposite material must be disposed of in an environmental friendlymanner. The process of this invention is advantageous as it facilitatesdisposal of the used bedding and litter in an environmental friendlymanner due to its low bacteria content.

The process of this invention is also advantageous in that when treatedin accordance with this invention the habitats are less odorous. Theodor control is in addition to the reduction in ammonia as is discussedabove. While the applicant is not sure of how this odor control iseffected it is felt that the odor control results from the ability ofthe residual TCM moiety to bond with sulfur and nitrogen bearingmolecules. That is when the chlorine is stripped from the TCM moleculean active residual moiety exists. This residual moiety has multipleactive sites which can bond with odorous nitrogen and sulfur bearingcompounds.

When the habitat is to be sprayed with a solution of TCM in accordancewith this invention it is preferred that the solution be formulated froma dry powder having the composition of Table I, all parts are by weight.

TABLE I Monosodium Phosphate 40 Citric Acid 28.3 Wetting Agent 13.00 TCM18.70 100.00This dry powder is dissolved in water at the rate of 0.25 oz. To 3 galwater to give a TCM concentration of about 100 ppm. The solution maythen be sprayed on to a habitat in accordance with this invention.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the features of thesubject invention and should not be construed in any way to limiting theinvention which is defined by the below set forth claims.

EXAMPLE I

Two poultry houses containing 26,000 birds each were treated, byspraying the houses and bedding contained, therein with an aqueoussolution of a product sold under the trademark PLT, at a concentrationof 200 ppm. Treatment was effected prior to placement of the birds inthe poultry houses. The bedding utilized was popular wood chips. After57 days the grow out was complete. During the grow out periods theconcentration of ammonia in the poultry houses varied between 30 and 70ppm. During the grow out the concentration of ammonia generallyincreased as the size of the birds increased.

EXAMPLE II

Two poultry houses containing 26,000 birds each were treated by sprayingthe houses and bedding contained therein with an aqueous solution ofTCM, at a concentration of 200 ppm. Treatment was effected prior toplacement of the birds in the poultry houses. The bedding utilized waspopular wood chips. After 57 days the grow out was complete. During thegrow out the concentration of ammonia in the poultry houses neverexceeded 20 ppm.

EXAMPLE III

Two poultry houses containing 25,000 birds each were treated by sprayingthe houses and bedding contained therein with an aqueous solution ofTCM, at a concentration of 200 ppm. Treatment was effected prior toplacement of the birds in the poultry house. The bedding utilized waspopular wood chips. After 56 days the grow out was complete. During thegrow out the presence of salmonella was monitored. During the grow outno salmonella was detected.

EXAMPLE IV

An untreated poultry house containing 25,000 birds was monitored duringa 56 day grow out for the presence of salmonella. The bedding utilizedwas popular wood chips. After 56 days the grow out was complete. Duringthe grow out the poultry house tested positive for salmonella.

DISCUSSION OF THE EXAMPLES

As can be seen from Examples I and II as a result of treating poultrybedding with TCM the concentration of ammonia was significantlydecreased during a 57 day grow out. This decrease is in comparison toprior art poultry houses which were treated with a prior art biocidePTL. In these prior art poultry houses the ammonia concentrations weresignificantly higher.

Further from Examples III and IV it can be seen that TCM is an effectivebiocide as is shown by the presence of salmonella bacteria in Example IVand its complete absence in Example III

1. A process for controlling Darkling beetles in an animal habitat,comprising the step of treating the animal habitat with an effectiveamount of trichloromelamine such that the pH of the habitat is loweredto less than
 5. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the treatment of thehabitat with trichloromelamine is prior to the placement of animals inthe habitat.
 3. The process of claim 1, wherein the treatment of thehabitat with trichloromelamine is after placement of the animals in thehabitat.
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the treatment of the habitatwith trichloromelamine is prior to and after placement of the animals inthe habitat.
 5. The process of claim 1, wherein the treatment of thehabitat with trichloromelamine is effected by dusting the habitat withpowdered trichloromelamine.
 6. The process of claim 1, wherein thetreatment of the habitat is effected by soaking the habitat with anaqueous solution of trichloromelamine.
 7. The process of claim 6,wherein the concentration of trichloromelamine is from about 50 ppm toabout 500 ppm.
 8. A process for controlling Darkling beetles in ananimal habitat, comprising the step of treating the animal habitat withan effective amount of trichloromelamine such that the pH of the habitatis lowered to less than 5; wherein Darkling beetles are present in theanimal habitat prior to the treatment step.
 9. The process of claim 8,wherein the treatment of the habitat with trichloromelamine is prior tothe placement of animals in the habitat.
 10. The process of claim 8,wherein the treatment of the habitat with trichloromelamine is afterplacement of the animals in the habitat.
 11. The process of claim 8,wherein the treatment of the habitat with trichloromelamine is prior toand after placement of the animals in the habitat.
 12. The process ofclaim 8, wherein the treatment of the habitat with trichloromelamine iseffected by dusting the habitat with powdered trichloromelamine.
 13. Theprocess of claim 8, wherein the treatment of the habitat withtrichloromelamine is effected by soaking the habitat with an aqueoussolution comprising trichloromelamine.
 14. The process of claim 8wherein the concentration of trichloromelamine is from about 25 to about1,000 ppm.
 15. The process of claim 8, wherein the concentration oftrichloromelamine is from about 50 to about 500 ppm.